US Army veteran Jeff Barillaro, a.k.a. Soldier Hard, finds solace in music
When hopelessness surrounds you and you feel like giving up, music can sometimes be the light that brings you through the metaphorical tunnel.
For United States Army veteran, Jeff Barillaro, 35, music was the light that brought him through some of his darkest moments and now he is providing the same support to other vets suffering after returning from their military tours of duty through his songs.
See more: Elderly man in nursing home lights up while hearing music
Diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder, Barillaro performs under the stage name Soldier Hard and tells NPR in a recent interview that he began making music because he thought no one would be able to comprehend what he was going through.
"I was so numb, I had a lot of hate in me. I wouldn't talk to my wife. And if she would say something, I would tell her to leave me alone," Barillaro said. "She's like, I [want to] understand and try to be there for you. I was like, 'I don't want you to be here for me.'" Adding, "You know I always feel that everyone's out to get me [and] I don't really want to talk to my family members. They will never understand me, but I can make music about it."
Video: Chair brings music to the deaf
Barillaro's music has gone beyond helping him on his journey to recovery and other soldiers in a position similar to his own. Its reach has also extended to army families and one woman in particular, Katrina Graves, who found comfort in his song, "The Military Wife," while her boyfriend was serving in Iraq.
While speaking with NPR, Graves said, "That's what I was going through — deployments, homecomings, you know, separation. It showed me other people were going through this, other women were going through this. It just really touched my heart."
You can find free downloads and streams of Soldier Hard's music here and look for his new album, "Therapy Session," to be released this summer.
US Army Rapper Soldier Hard — "The Military Wife" feat Matai
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